Festival permit postponed over street concerns

A decision on a permit to hold the eighth annual River Raisin Labor Day Barbecue Festival Aug. 30 in downtown Monroe was postponed by the Monroe City Council last week due to concerns about closing streets.

The council voted 7-0 to postpone a decision until its March 17 meeting after Councilman John Iacoangeli expressed concern about closing E. Front St. from noon to 10 p. m.for the event.

“It’s great to have activities downtown, but not at the expense of having our businesses closed,” Mr. Iacoangeli told the council. “ We should gain business, not lose it.”

Mayor Robert Clark said he, too, has heard comments for and against the street closing because of some businesses having to close.

Mr. Iacoangeli suggested the en­tertainment stage be moved from E. Front to Washington St. so that E. Front could remain open. Wash­ington between E. First and E. Front also is closed for the festival.

It was agreed to have city staff meet with John Patterson, president of the Monroe County Convention and Tourism Bureau, about closing the streets. Representatives from the Downtown Development Authority and the Downtown Monroe Busi­ness Association, other stakehold­ers in the downtown district, also should be invited to the discussions, Mr. Iacoangeli said.

Councilman Jeremy Molenda said he’d like to see some consistency with the city policy of closing streets for public events.

“Our city streets are an asset,” Mr. Molenda said.

Councilman Jeffery Hensley said the festival gets bigger every year.

“There are still a lot of businesses that benefit,” he said.

The council approved a request from the tourism bureau to hold the 13th annual River Raisin Jazz Festival Aug. 7- 10 and to close W. Elm Ave. from Monroe St. to Borgess Ave.

A request from the Monroe Rotary Club to hold its second annual Su­perhero 5K Run/Walk May 3 also got the nod.

Monroe Events
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